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England built what threatens to be an impregnable second innings lead at the Basin Reserve in Wellington today, potentially batting New Zealand out of second cricket test with two days remaining.
England, starting today with a comfortable lead of 148 before steadily building their advantage to 421 at stumps on the third day.
England were 277 for nine at the close, with Paul Collingwood falling for 59 in the last over.
No English batsman truly dictated terms on a flattening pitch but they ensured New Zealand will be confronted by a record-breaking fourth innings target at some point tomorrow.
New Zealand's highest successful chase in the test history is the 324 for five they scored against Pakistan in Christchurch in 1994.
Their biggest score batting last at the Basin Reserve is 286, made against Sri Lanka in December, 2006.
New Zealand's bowlers chipped away throughout today.
England lost Alastair Cook for 60 and Andrew Strauss for 44 within four balls after lunch, and Kevin Pietersen was limited to 17, but solid contributions from Ian Bell and Collingwood, who was dropped on nought by Mark Gillespie, kept the scoreboard ticking over.
Cook, who was dropped by Brendon McCullum when on five, topscored with his ninth test half-century, his 60 notable for the fact it contained the first six of his 26-test career.
Renowned for his aversion to hitting aerially, a top-edged pull off Chris Martin just cleared the third man boundary to prompt a mini-celebration.
Cook, who clubbed his first sixes in an England shirt during the tour opener against Canterbury last month, had faced 5470 balls in test cricket and struck 310 boundaries before clearing the fence.
Strauss and Cook added 106 for the second wicket and when they departed, England were potentially vulnerable at 129 for three.
Kyle Mills removed Cook via Stephen Fleming's 171st catch and in the next over Jacob Oram had Strauss trapped leg before wicket.
Pietersen, who survived a leg before wicket appeal to the luckless Daniel Vettori when on 10, also fell in the middle session when he was freakishly run out when a Bell drive was deflected on to the stumps by Martin before the batsman could remake his ground at the non-striker's end.
England started today on four without loss and although the run rate rarely exceeded three an over, the tourists already had time on their side after dismissing New Zealand for 198 inside 58 overs yesterday.
Needing a strong collective bowling performance from the outset, New Zealand only occasionally built pressure.
Their catching was another impediment, with Gillespie culpable for a second time in the match.
He made a hash of an Bell hook to fine leg in England's first innings and botched an attempt to catch an uppish Collingwood drive today.
To make matters worse for frustrated bowler Vettori, the ball rebounded off Gillespie's right hand over the boundary.
Collingwood profited from the letoff with another circumspect knock, taking 107 balls to record a half- century containing eight boundaries.
Gillespie took two for 59 from 13.1 overs while Oram was again the workhorse, claiming three for 44 off 20.
SCOREBOARD
England
First innings 342
New Zealand
First innings 198
England
Second innings (overnight 4-0)
A Cook c Fleming b Mills 60
M Vaughan c McCullum b Mills 13
A Strauss lbw b Oram 44
K Pietersen run out 17
I Bell c Sinclair b Oram 41
P Collingwood lbw b Gillespie 59
T Ambrose b Oram 5
S Broad c McCullum b Martin 16
R Sidebottom c How b Gillespie 0
M Panesar not out 6
Extras (6b, 5lb, 5nb) 16
Total (for 9 wkts, 94.1 overs) 277
Fall: 21 (Vaughan), 127 (Cook), 129 (Strauss), 160 (Pietersen), 219 (Bell), 231 (Ambrose), 259 (Broad), 260 (Sidebottom), 277 (Collingwood).
Bowling: C Martin 23-4-72-1 (1nb), K Mills 23-5-59-2 (1nb), J Oram 20-9-44-3, M Gillespie 13.1-1-52-2 (1nb), D Vettori 15-2-39-0 (2nb).
- NZPA
